My Bestfriend's Girlfriend
by D-simplicity
Summary: What do you do when you fall in love with your bestfriend's girlfriend? Well, Richard Grayson sure as hell would like to know. Alternate Universe, rating due to crude language, etc. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own the Teen Titans._

**Warning:** _Use of vulgar language. If you think cuss words are a no-no, then beware ~_

* * *

It's impossible to choose who you fall in love with, for it's far beyond any of our control. You can pick your friends, decide who will be your bestfriends, but you can never decree who your soul-mate will be. It's not an option, but predetermined by fate.

Young Richard Grayson, adoptive son of Bruce Wayne and heir to the Wayne fortune, was buried knee-deep in homework. He wasn't one to party, preferring to spend his time studying instead, but his bestfriend sure as hell was.

As he was preparing for his upcoming test, the boy was rudely interrupted. His cellphone began playing the annoyingly familiar tune indicating that Xavier was calling.

_Damn it._

Picking it up, he sighed.

"What do you want, X?"

"_I'm at a party. Get your boring, virgin ass over here pronto."_

"No. I'm studying for my test tomorrow, you douchefuck."

"_Oh c'mon! There's a buncha' hot chicks jammin' it out over here! I'm sure one of 'em will agree so you can finally man up and get laid."_

Richard did a face-palm. Sadly, Xavier just didn't understand the concept of abstinence.

"I'm busy. And school is more important than girls right now, okay."

"_Fine, you big baby."_ There was a pause._ "When'll you ever chill and just have fun for once?"_

"When I find the right girl, then we'll talk."

"_You're such a debbie-downer, you know that?"_

"I know. Bye Xavier," and the conversation was over. After hanging up and shutting off his phone so no one else could contact him, he returned to his school books.

TTTTT

The next day, Richard found himself sitting alone on the bleachers facing the football field half an hour before school was scheduled to begin.

After countless hours of studying, memorizing formulas, notes, and vocabulary words, he was exhausted. Finally deciding that it was time for a break, he shut his books and stowed them away in his backpack.

Resting his chin on his right palm as he propped his elbow on his leg, he looked on at the field to watch the students wandering about.

Something caught his eye. Actually, it was some_one_.

He couldn't get a good look at her face, and was only able to make out that she had a well-built, curvy figure. A body that every super-model would die for.

Apparently she was making her way towards the exit when she tripped on one of the footballs lying on the ground, and fell flat on her ass after spinning wildly out of control. Books and loose papers flew every which-way, surrounding her and acting as an enclosure.

Seeing this, he chuckled. It was quite amusnig, watching her fall and caress her butt in pain. But then he realized that what he was doing was indeed rude and very much uncalled for, so he decided the right thing to do was assist her in getting her stuff together.

"Need any help?" he asked, already picking up her stray books and placing them on a neat pile.

"Um… thank you." The girl turned to him as she too picked up her belongings, sheepishly offering him a grateful smile.

"No problem." He looked up from the pile he'd made, and the moment he peered into her terrifyingly beautiful, forest-green eyes, he could only stop and stare as his breath hitched.

Truly, she was the definition of elegance. Of pure beauty.

"So, um-" he tugged on his now-tight collar. "You new around here?"

"Actually, yes."

"C-cool. Where're you from?"

She gave him a timid, lop-sided grin. "I doubt you have heard of it. It is… unpopular."

Raising an eyebrow, he wondered at that. "Try me."

"I am from Tamaran. Usually when I tell people of my home country, they look at me oddly, as if I were insane, and tell me that they have not heard of such a place."

Richard snapped his fingers in recognition.

"Well, I know of it. It's a small island near Hawaii, absolute monarchy, very tropical environment, and home of the zorka berry."

Kory beamed at him, and that simple action guilelessly took his breath away. She was unquestionably amazed by his impressive knowledge of her home country. She'd never met anybody who had even the slightest clue of the name, let alone that kind of information. "How did you know?"

"I know my geography. It's one of those subjects that Bruce forces me to study because apparently I'll be doing a lot of traveling when I grow up."

"I see," she bit her bottom lip, and he found that gesture to be extremely adorable. "I apologize, but I do not know this Bruce of which you speak."

Blushing and quite embarrassed, he decided to enlighten her. "Oh! I'm sorry. He's my adoptive father, heh heh."

It was strange. He'd assumed she already knew who he was, considering the entire county already did, which was why he hadn't bothered introducing himself and was waiting for her to tell him her name. Then it hit him. This girl had no idea who he was, or about his lavish wealth.

"I-I'm Richard, by the way. But my friends call me Dick." Holding his hand out to her for a handshake, she only looked at it, obviously confused.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Dick." She slowly reached for his hand, then shook it lightly.

"Likewise," he grinned at her.

"I am Korilynn Anders, but you may simply refer to me as Kory."

"That's a cute name," he complimented her, face flushing as he did so. "Listen, I'm sure you get this a lot, but… you're very pretty."

Her face reddened into a brilliant shade of ruby as her eyes widened in surprise. "I thank you."

"Just thought I should let you know."

"You are very sweet," she smiled at him heartily.

And just when he'd thought he was getting somewhere…

_DING _

_DING _

_DING_

The warning well interrupted their moment.

"Well, I should do the getting to class." The way she said it, he wondered if she didn't want to say good-bye either.

"Do you want me to walk you?" Offering to take her to her first hour, just wanted to get to know her a little better.

For some reason, he felt something strange welling up in his stomach. Something he hadn't ever felt before. It was pleasant, yet terrifying at the same time because it was so alien to him.

She'd noticed the conflict in his emotions, but she wasn't sure if it was a good thing or if it was bad. So she decided that it'd be best to decline.

"No, but thank you for the offer," she smiled sweetly. Standing up from her crouch, she picked up her belongings. "And thank you again for your help."

He could only nod. As if it were bad enough, he didn't know whether to feel disappointed that she said no or happy because he would most likely give this girl every ounce of his attention and finally have a relationship with someone he might actually like.

In the end, he felt both.

TTTTT

Being the new girl, Kory was confused as to where her next class was. She looked to her mini-map once more, but remained unsure.

She stopped dead in her tracks and tried to decipher where exactly she was on the map.

"Need any help, Cutie?" It was a male voice. She didn't recognize it, so she looked up to see who it was.

"No, thank you." She politely declined.

"Awh, don't be like that. You're lost, so just let me help you." Before she could shoo him away, he snatched her schedule and began to analyze it.

"Hmm, looks like you've got first hour with me. If you want, we can walk there together," he winked, giving her one of his winning smiles.

It made her somewhat uneasy, but since she didn't know what else to do, she agreed. "O-okay."

"C'mon, Cutie." He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her towards their destination.

TTTTT

It was finally time for his long awaited test. He sat in his assigned seat, right beside the window. The view of the football field was staggering, and he could see everything that was going on.

_Carpe Diem._

_Make it or break it._

_Go big or go home. _

Time to stay focused, give it his all, and bring home an A.

Rubbing his hands together for effect and smirking like he knew every answer to all of the questions, he began his test.

_1. What is recidivism?_

_2. Is it okay to break the law to uphold the law?_

_3. Does an adversarial court system really determine truth?_

_4. What would our society look like if it actually eliminated all crime?_

_5. Do inmates give up all their rights when incarcerated?_

_6. Is all criminality deviant?_

_(__**A/N: **__Found those questions online, lolol.)_

Richard blasted through half of the assessment with astounding ease, until he noticed the commotion that was going on outside.

There, on the track surrounding the field, was Kory. She wore a cute pair of gray mesh shorts with a white outline and a plain black hoodie as she jogged with the rest of her class.

To his dismay, it seemed like Xavier was hitting on her. He watched as she stopped running, placed her hands on her hips and spoke with his bestfriend. He could only see Xavier's back, but had a clear view of Kory.

Seeing that she had an eyebrow cocked and an unsure expression, he knew that Xavier was asking her out. It seemed that his friend had finally gotten to her as she nodded her head.

Xavier hugged her, and she looked fairly uncomfortable.

An unknown feeling once again came over Richard's mental state. He wasn't sure, but he had a feeling it was a little bit of jealousy.

"Eyes on your own paper, Mr. Grayson." The professor, Mr. Wilson, instructed. "Or I will take it away and you will receive a zero."

Grunting in disapproval, Richard reluctantly ripped his attention away from the window and continued on with the remainder of his test.

TTTTT

After his final class, Richard headed toward his locker. He felt like crap since the incident during his exam.

Lazily taking his books out of his locker and loading them into his backpack, he heard his bestfriend's voice calling after him.

"Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude, guess what!"

"What is it, Xavier?" Dick sighed. He already had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say next, and he didn't like it one bit.

"I've got myself a date with the new girl." Xavier seemed to be very pleased with himself.

"Why am I not surprised?" Though his facial expression was blank and emotionless, he was mentally slapping himself for not asking her out when he had the chance.

After all, he'd met her first, hadn't he? Well, maybe that didn't mean anything. Maybe that wasn't enough. He blew it, and now it was too late. His bestfriend had beaten him to the finish line.

"I'm tellin' you, bro. She's fucking hot. And she's got the sweetest ass."

To Richard, it felt like Xavier had sliced through one of his nerves. "Stop talking about her like that! She's…"

"What?"

Uh oh. This wasn't good. Quickly pulling together a cover up, he replied. "She's beautiful…?"

"Wow. Wait, you've met her?"

Right when Dick was about to give him an answer, he was interrupted.

"Nevermind. Well, she's got a nice rack, a fine booty, thighs that are pretty fucking thick, and all you can say is _beautiful_?"

Richard hated that. He very much disliked how Xavier was talking about Kory. She was a nice, pretty girl, and the words his friend used to describe her was only degrading and belittling her. "What of it?"

"No wonder you're a virgin."

Richard frowned, "Fuck you."

"I'd fuck me too," smirking at his bestfriend, Xavier decided that it was time to head home. "Later, Chuckles. I'll introduce you to her properly sometime soon. Maybe after I make her my girlfriend."

Looking at his diminishing figure, Richard couldn't help but grimace. Xavier might as well have stabbed him in the chest, because it already felt like he was having a mini-heart attack.

_Damn it all._

* * *

_**Personality Overview**_

Richard "Dick" Grayson: _Nice guy type, ambitious when it comes to school, gentleman-in-the-making. _

Xavier "X" Red: _Casanova, easygoing, party animal, doesn't really give a rat's ass about school._


	2. Chapter 2

A few weeks have passed since Kory's arrival at Jump City High School, and the entire time he'd constantly been avoiding her. He didn't want to risk falling in like with her because he knew that Xavier already had a thing for her, and he didn't want any beef between them, so he'd decided it was better to ignore his feelings towards the girl. Completely.

It was a bright, sunny day and Richard was hyped. He had another test coming, and he felt like he'd been preparing for decades.

_I got this._

Just then, his phone began to ring. The song signifying the caller was Xavier resounded throughout the walls of his room.

_Dammit. _

Richard threw aside his covers, sat up on his bed and reached for his cellphone, which was waiting for him on the nightstand.

"Hey."

_"You won't believe this, bro. I swear, it's the best shit ever!"_

Sighing as he prepared himself for the inevitable truth, he continued on. "What is it?"

_"It took a bunch of sweet-talking, a lot of wooing and all of that bull crap, but I asked her to be my girlfriend during yesterday's assembly, and she said yes!"_

Deep down, Richard died a little bit. He didn't want his bestfriend to be dating the only girl he'd ever taken a single ounce of interest in, but he wasn't going to voice it either.

"Congratulations. Is that it?"

_"Well, yeah."_

"Okay, well I'm gonna get ready for school. I'll see you later."

He'd never admit to anyone about how he felt just then. Jealousy, anger, frustration, and the list goes on. Knowing Xavier, he'd probably lose interest after a few weeks and just leave her with a broken heart. And he didn't like the fact that his bestfriend had 'sweet-talked' her into being with him. That was the same method he'd used on girls he'd dated before Kory, and most likely he'd use it again long after their relationship.

_Well, that just about ruined my day._

Jumping off of his large, king-sized bed, Richard pulled his gray v-neck over his head, leaving him only in his black sweats. He looked into the mirror and tried to mentally prepare himself for the upcoming test.

"_Psh_, I don't need girls," he said to himself with a scowl. "I'm Richard fucking Grayson, for Christ's sake." As his expression softened, he realized that maybe he was wrong. Maybe Xavier was right and he needed to allow a special someone into his life. Only one girl, however, was the focal of his musings, and that bothered him.

He made his way towards the bathroom for a quick shower. When he was dried off and dressed up, he ambled to the kitchen to find Alfred preparing his breakfast.

"Good morning, Master Dick."

"Morning, Al."

The butler turned around to scrutinize the young teenager. "You look unwell. Are you certain you are alright, sir?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Dick was versed in the art of lying, which only proved useful because he felt nothing close to fine, and he didn't want Alfred getting any suspicions. In all honesty, he was stressed and a little bit depressed. "Just tired."

TTTTT

Jump City High School's parking lot was somewhat crowded, but not so much that Dick couldn't find a parking space near the entrance. As he arrived, he noticed that Xavier was waiting for him, or maybe a certain _someone_, by his black and red Honda Civic. Approaching him, he decided to say 'hey' before school began.

Seeing that his bestfriend was coming, Xavier grinned. "Sup?"

"Nothing. How about you?"

"Oh, just waiting for my girlfriend." Hearing this forced the ends of Dick's lips to drop.

_I knew it._

"I'm happy for you," he was clearly lying through his teeth, but Xavier didn't seem to notice.

"Thanks, bro. Glad to hear that."

Just then, a group of girls passed by, each of them looking very much like a hooker. Xavier smirked as he winked in their direction, and the pack neared the two boys. Richard scowled at them. Helena Bertinelli, Kitten Walker, and Catalina Flores were members of that band of school girls, and that made Richard feel absolutely uneasy.

_Oh, great. This is officially the shittiest day of my life._

"Yoohoo, Richie Poo!" Kitten was the worst of them all, but that didn't excuse the fact that they all had a terrible fetish for him. Groaning in displeasure, Richard's grip on the straps of his backpack tightened.

Helena and Catalina both tried to smile at him seductively. Both noticed each other do the same thing, then glared at one another.

"Back off, Cat. This one's mine," Helena claimed.

Catalina scoffed at her friend. "As _if_."

"Shut the fuck up, you two." When it came to Dick, Kitten was very overprotective, despite the fact that they weren't dating. She continued to dismiss the clear truth that he didn't want anything to do with her. "He doesn't belong to any of you, because he's mine. I called him first, so_ you _back off!"

They all stopped dead in their tracks and continued to bicker. Xavier chuckled as he crossed his arms in pure amusement.

"Ladies, ladies." The womanizer soothed. "Calm down. My buddy here is definitely single, and down right ready to mingle." He patted Richard on the back, causing him to flinch.

"Sorry, but I'm not available." With one last passing glare at his bestfriend, Dick was gone.

TTTTT

Scurrying his way through the slightly empty hallways, he was unaware of his surroundings until he caught sight of slick, crimson hair and a pair of shiny, emerald eyes. Their gazes met, and he soon found himself lost in a trance.

She grinned at him as he walked and ogled at her at the same time. However, her expression changed when she saw exactly where he was headed.

"Dick! Watch out for-"

_SLAM!_

The dumbfounded boy walked straight into the wall of lockers, face-first, and very much embarrassed. He clutched at his forehead as he winced in pain. _"Ow."_

Kory darted towards him and cupped his cheeks as she arrived at his side, worried about his well being. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Richard blushed at her kind, soft touch.

_Her hands are so warm..._

"You must be careful next time!" She lightly smacked him on the shoulder as she smiled. He grasped the area where she had attacked him and playfully pretended that it'd badly hurt him.

"Mhm, right."

Kory lifted her hand to her lips as she giggled, then Xavier appeared at her side. "I should get to class," she said.

In all honesty, she was a little disappointed to see her new boyfriend, and she couldn't understand why she'd felt that way. He'd sweet-talked himself into her life, and she had to admit that he was really smooth with his words.

"Hey, Cutie." Xavier kissed her on the cheek. "Oh, 'sup Dick. I see you've met my girlfriend." He grinned at his friend.

In that moment, Richard knew that he couldn't do it. He could never be able to bring himself to g-lash his bestfriend. That's possibly one of the worst things he could ever do. Or was it? Xavier could get any girl he wanted, and it's not like Kory, in the eyes of his friend, was any different, was she? Oh God, he'd hoped not.

Feeling defeat overrule his other emotions, Richard decided that it was best not to meddle in their relationship. After all, he'd only just met this girl. And the rule was: _bros before hoes. _It always was. But, the thing is, she wasn't a hoe. And he knew that. So, he concluded, the guy code didn't apply to his situation. But that didn't change the fact that he'd be stealing his bestfriend's girlfriend if he went after Kory, and that's not what bestfriends do to each other.

"Right, I've gotta go. Later X, Kory..." Avoiding any eye contact with the beautiful redhead, he made his escape.

_I can't do it. I can't like her. I just can't..._

Xavier raised a suspicious eyebrow as his friend disappeared, but then dismissed it. "I wonder what's up _his_ ass." He shrugged. "Oh well, whatever."

Tilting her head to the side, Kory furrowed her brows. She could tell that something was bothering Richard, but she just didn't know what. It was then that she decided to befriend him. He showed her kindness on her first day and, to her, that was enough reason to be his friend. "I hope he is okay."

"Don't worry about him, Babe." Xavier slung an arm around her shoulder. "He'll be fine. It's probably 'cause he's got the ladies wantin' a ride on his dick."

This made Kory scrunch up her face in disgust. "There are females that want to _ride_ him?"

"Well, they wanna take away his v-card. The loser just doesn't wanna give it up," he shook his head in disappointment. "If I were him, I'd have lost it a long time ago. I mean, c'mon. Who wouldn't want free sex?"

Kory's insides were churning, and she felt very uncomfortable about the subject. She too was a virgin, and she wasn't just going to give it away that easily as well. "I support his decision. Abstinence is a very respectable choice, is it not?"

He looked at her incredulously. "You're a virgin, too?"

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"N-no. Of course not," Xavier tried to hide his letdown, but she noticed it anyway. She decided that it was wise to ignore it, for she didn't want to give anything up to him yet.

_He may not be the one, _she thought to herself. _Just wait, and the right boy will surely come my way. It may not be soon, but I hope to find him someday._

TTTTT

Richard was absently banging his head against his locker. Everyone who passed by laughed at his course of action, but he deliberately chose to ignore them. Just then, he felt a hand on his shoulder, causing him to refrain from his act of self abuse.

"Stop it. You're scaring the hell out of us," Wally smiled sheepishly at his friend. Behind him stood Garfield and Victor, both staring at him as if he were just sentenced to a psychiatric hospital.

Garfield took one hesitant step closer to a distressed Dick. "Dude... are you alright?" To his left, Victor vacated the available space.

"Yeah, man. You seem kinda down," his muscular, African American friend added. "What's up with that?"

Groaning inwardly, Richard stepped away from his beat-up locker. "Xavier's got a new girlfriend."

Wally, one of Dick's closest friends and star athlete of the track team, raised an eyebrow. "So what? He gets a new one of those like every week or some shit."

Looking away, melancholy evident in his body language, Richard deepened his already-present frown.

Victor's eyes widened, shocked at what he'd just thought. "Wait a second! You like this chick, don't you, Dick?"

This certainly got the young billionaire's attention. "N-no! I don't. I can't, okay."

"Face it, dude. You like her." Garfield smirked.

"Uhh..."

Wally smiled mischievously as he turned to Victor and Garfield. "Listen up, men. Initiate _Delta Protocol._ Code red_. _This is _not_ a drill," he whispered to the others in a low voice so Richard would remain in the dark of their scheming.

"Message received," Garfield replied as he headed off in an unknown direction.

Victor nodded. "Confirmed." He hastily walked away, going his own route.

The track athlete folded his arms in triumph and thought to himself as his scouts disappeared to accomplish their appointed businesses.

_And so it begins. _

Unaware of his friends' organized task, Richard waved good-bye to Wally and headed off to class, only just remembering that he had an exam later on in the day.

Feeling the rippling sensation of a phone call alert, Wally withdrew his cell phone from his pocket. "What is it, Gar?"

_"Search and destroy?"_

"Negative," his tone was attentive. If Garfield intervened, things would definitely go awry. "This is strictly a recon mission. Dick would fuckin' kill us if he found out that we were playin' with this kind of fire, so remain undetected. I repeat, fly under the radar. Wall-man out."

_"Roger that._"

* * *

**A/N:**_ Sorry, couldn't help myself. I _had_ to drag Kid Flash, Beast Boy, and Cyborg into this mess. Hopefully, more friendly faces will be introduced. Who knows? Tell me what you guys think!_


	3. Chapter 3

First hour had begun, and the meddling trio ditched class in order to fulfill their duties.

Rustling in the bushes, Garfield failed to remain on the down low. He raised his watch to his lips, pretending that it was a communicator, and whispered to himself as he watched his prey. "Target sighted."

Feeling a hand being placed on his shoulder, Garfield jumped, yelped, and began swinging his arms in an attempt to ward off whoever had caught him.

"Whoa, calm the fuck down. It's just me." Victor chuckled at his friend's hilarious reaction and the look of terror imprinted on his features.

"_Ha ha ha_, not funny."

Victor sat beside the gangly teen in his leafy hide-out. "You're not very good at this whole spy thing, are you?"

Making a face that clearly displayed a 'no-shit' expression, Garfield retorted. "What're you talking about? I could easily pass as the next James fucking Bond."

"Sike," Victor deadpanned, not at all finding his come back funny.

Garfield flung his hands into the air. "No duh, I'm not any good at this!"

"Stop moving around so much, and maybe next time you won't get caught."

Because of all the constant little movements his friend was making, it was easy to discover where he had been situated. If it'd been Xavier that found him, no doubt _Delta Protocol_ would've been over right then and there.

"Well," Garfield began, "this spot isn't really what I would call comfy. And I've got the perfect view-" Just then, he remembered that he was supposed to keep an eye on Kory and Xavier. He frantically searched for the two, but found nothing.

"Of what?"

"You made me lose them!" Pouting and crossing his arms in choler, Garfield shifted his gaze towards his tall, bulky friend. Victor lifted his palms facing upward into the air and shook his head, a gesture meant to symbolize that he'd done nothing wrong.

"Listen... I've got nothing on her. No Tumblr, Myspace, Facebook, Formspring, Twitter, Instagram, nothing. It's like she doesn't even exist." Victor looked to the grassy field, deep in thought as to why the new girl was so mysterious.

_Maybe she's got no internet._

"You wanna know something, Vic?" Garfield snapped his friend out of his thoughts, all seriousness manifesting his usually joking tone.

"What?"

"You sound like a freakin' stalker!" He burst out into laughter, guffawing as he fell on his back.

Victor rolled his eyes.

_Why does he even bother clownin' around when he ain't even funny? _

TTTTT

"So how about it, Cutie?"

"No, Xavier. I must study for my upcoming exam. It is worth roughly one-third of my grade, so it is crucial that I use my time wisely." Kory sighed. Her boyfriend had been hassling her about the homecoming dance which would be taking place on the forthcoming Saturday.

Frowning at his girlfriend's excuse not to go with him, Xavier decided that he wouldn't be able to get her to change her mind. "Fine, but I'm still goin'."

"Take whomever you wish," she waved her hand, not caring what he wanted to do. "I will stand by my decision."

Xavier mumbled to himself, and she thought she heard something along the lines of _'no big deal, plenty of other chicks out there',_ but waved that off as well.

She didn't know it, but she had almost the same sort of mentality that Richard possessed.

Soon the school bell rang, and it was time to head to class. Without bothering to give her boyfriend a farewell, she made her way towards the girls' locker rooms.

"Babe, wait!" He called and turned her around before she could enter into her refuge. "I'll you you later." He leaned in to kiss her luscious, strawberry-flavored lips.

TTTTT

Richard was practically yanking at his hair in frustration. All of that time he'd spent studying, lost. Everything he learned, forgotten. As he sat there, rereading the questions on his test, he couldn't think of anything else but thoughts about his not-so-secret crush.

_This can't be happening!_

He shifted his thoughts to the topic of apples, but then it only made him think about Kory's exquisite, ruby-red hair.

_Fucking hell. This _is_ happening._

Richard started banging his head against the table, trying to rid his mind of all thoughts.

"Would you stop that!" The student sitting beside him yelled, annoyed of the constant thumping. "You're so fucking-"

"You two! Tests in the garbage. _Now_," Mr. Wilson boomed from across the classroom, lounging at his desk while working on ungraded assignments. "There was to be no talking."

Sighing heavily in defeat, Richard got up to trash his blank sheet of paper. There was no use in arguing, he would've failed anyway.

"What? You can't be serious, I was only telling him to stop!"

"Would you like a detention, Mr. Harper?"

Roy grimaced as he stood up to throw away his half-finished test. "No."

"I would've dealt with him. But instead of waiting, you decided to disrupt the class as well."

Arms crossed and head resting on his biceps, Dick was prepared for a nap. He felt a sharp thwack against the side of his temple, and noticed the projectile just happened to be a pencil with a note attached by a rubber band being wrapped around it. Upon searching the room for the sender, he noticed Roy Harper eyeing him menacingly.

He inwardly laughed. So it seemed that the two now had a problem with one another. Richard opened the note and read its contents in amusement.

It read:

_Fuck you, asshole. I'm gonna kick your ass after school. Watch your back._

Dick snorted. He shot Roy a look, symbolizing that of confidence, and crumpled the sheet of paper in his fist.

TTTTT

"You're gonna do _what?_" Both Wally and Xavier bellowed in unison.

"Seriously, you heard me. Don't make me repeat myself," Dick replied, nonchalant.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it right there, tough guy." Wally was pacing in circles. "You'd get suspended, meaning you won't be here for at least forty-five days, and that would totally ruin _everything_!"

This time, Xavier and Dick both looked at the speedster inquisitively.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Xavier questioned him as Dick raised an eyebrow.

"N-nothing! It's nothing. Forget I said anything, heh heh." Rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment, Wally groped his brain for an excuse to leave. "I've gotta go. What with track and the..." He didn't even finish his sentence before he was out of the cafeteria doors.

Xavier shifted his attention towards his bestfriend. "Sometimes I wonder about that guy. Your _bestfriend number two_," he chuckled.

"He's a great friend, X."

"Oh, really? Is he better than _me_?" Xavier smirked, knowing that Richard hated being put into situations of that sort.

"I'm not answering that," Dick shot him _the look_. It always made him feel uncomfortable, having to choose between friends. So he concluded that he wasn't going to do it. Ever. When it came to bestfriends, they were all equal, that way there wouldn't be any trouble.

"I know, I was just messin' with you," the ladies-man replied. "Are you really gonna go through with it?"

"The fight? I don't know. I don't wanna get suspended, so maybe not. But I'm still going, so I could tell this guy off."

"Go get 'em, tiger." Anticipating a pelt to his arm, Dick shifted away. Xavier, unaware of his friend's sudden movement, punched the air. "What the-"

"Don't hit me." Though Richard was skilled in many forms of martial arts, he didn't like it when Xavier swung at him, even if it was meant to be playful. All the time, he'd hit harder than necessary.

"Whatever you say, Chuckles."

TTTTT

The end of the school day was near, and Kory was standing before her open locker, gathering her belongings.

Once she packed everything she needed, Kory headed for the exit. The halls were louder than usual, boisterous students chatting on about some sort of fight going on.

"Yeah, cause like Richie Poo's totally gonna kick Roy's ass," commented a blonde haired girl as she spoke to her two companions.

At hearing this, Kory sprinted for the double doors. Richard wouldn't do that, would he?

_No. He would not, _she concluded.

Once outside, she noticed a large crowed gathered on the football field. Making her way through the horde of students, she found Dick and a red haired boy in the center, glaring it out.

"Richard!" She called, ignoring the stares she received from the people in the throng.

His baby blue eyes immediately snapped in her direction, and the moment they made eye contact, he walked away from Roy. No way in hell was he going to fight, and seeing Kory there made certain of that.

"Hi, Kory."

"What were you doing?" She cocked an eyebrow as she placed her hands on her hips.

"N-nothing..."

"You were going to fight," She said, matter-of-fact. Richard winced at the tone of her voice.

"I wasn't! I swear, I was gonna tell him that I didn't want any trouble. I was apologizing," he nervously scratched the back of his neck, hoping she'd believe him.

"Good." Kory snatched his free hand and led him away from the overcrowded field.

"What the fuck, Grayson?" The duo heard Roy calling to him as they walked away. "You fucking pussy!"

Frowning, Kory turned to look at Richard. "That boy is disturbingly inappropriate. He must learn to hold his tongue."

TTTTT

_RING_

_RING _

_RING_

The sound of the phone ringing echoed throughout the halls of Wayne Manor. After placing the newly clean dishes into their proper cabinet, Alfred made his way towards the chiming telephone.

"Wayne Manor. How may I help you?"

_"Alfred?"_

"Yes," the butler raised an eyebrow. "May I ask who is calling?"

_"Uhh-" _he was able to make out various whispers from the other line, indicating that the person wasn't alone, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. _"That's not important. What really matters right now is the news I'm about to tell you."_

"Master West? Is that you?" He heard a soft thud, and pictured the person dropping his phone, allowing it to crash onto the ground. When the caller spoke once more, he'd noticed that it was a different voice this time.

_"No, this is... Patrick. And, um, I just so happen to be one of Dick's friends!"_ Alfred recognized the hesitance in his voice and chuckled. _"Anyway, Dick's finally got his eyes on a broad, so we're just givin' you a heads-up. He could really use some How-To-Be-A-Gentleman 101."_

Then, it all finally made sense. The way his employer's son had been acting, how he was unusually distressed, and it all fit together like the pieces of a puzzle.

"I will be sure to tutor Master Dick in the art of proper etiquette as soon as possible," Alfred alleged, ecstatic that he would be the one to help Richard get the girl for once.

TTTTT

Tim snickered as Alfred walked away from the end table supporting the telephone. He turned to look at Damian. "Hilarious!"

"Very funny," the youngest brother deadpanned.

Jason shifted his attention from Alfred to the laughing Tim, then to an annoyed Damian. "Did you get all of that?"

"Yes."

"Good," rubbing his hands together, a devious plan formulating in his mind, Jason smirked. "Dick will never know what hit 'em."

* * *

**A/N:**_ That's right. Jason, Tim, and Damian are Dick's little brothers! It's always usually Tim this, Tim that. But what about Jason? I felt that he's always being left out, and I haven't come across any fics with Damian, so all three of them are being included. And Damian is still Bruce's biological son, Talia is still the mother, but the two aren't together._

**_Extra Info, Just So You Know_**

Richard "Dick" Grayson:_ Eldest brother, junior in high school._

Jason Todd:_ Second eldest, seventh grader in middle school. _

Timothy "Tim" Drake:_ Second to last, fifth grader in grade school._

Damian Wayne:_ Youngest, third grader attending the same school as Tim. _


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** _I apologize for the delay. Getting caught up on lack of sleep and an MMORPG is not always the best way to go. Also, I'm thinking about fixing up _Star Sapphire: SE_, but I'm still not sure. I guess I'm just not feeling it. But maybe some time in the future..._

* * *

School had just recently ended, and the three aspiring spies gathered on the bleachers. They were having a meeting, discussing the day's find.

"Alright, men." Wally was pacing in front of his friends, index finger and thumb placed on his chin, deep in thought. "Now that the thing with Alfred is all cleared up and ready to go, I just wanna share that I've done some hardcore research _and _observations. Maybe Xavier really likes this girl, so that might be a little problem later on in the future."

His accomplices both nodded in acknowledgement.

"Oh, and Gar... I saw you in the bushes during first hour." He sighed as Garfield's eyes widened. He had no idea it was _that_ bad. "No more solo recon for you, that's for sure."

"I looked her up too, man. I've got nothin'," Victor added.

"Me neither. Sadly, men, we're at a stand-still. What should we do now?" He eyed his friends critically.

Nobody spoke, all thinking about what their next move should be.

"Maybe," Garfield began, "we aren't digging deep enough."

Looking at his green eyed friend, Wally gave a sharp nod as he was struck with an idea.

"We're goin' in."

"Say what?" Lifting both of his eyebrows, Victor had somewhat of an idea of what the track star was implying, and he knew he wouldn't like it one bit.

"We follow her home. And we'll go from there."

TTTTT

Inside the mansion, it was as silent as a barren desert. Which was odd for Dick, because it was usually the time of day when he'd get pranked by his mischievous little brothers. As he made his way through the empty halls, he noticed the soft, classical music resonating from upstairs.

"I wonder..." Slowly making his way up the fancy stairwell, Dick was met with an open door leading into a room which he hadn't set foot in before. He knocked on the door as he peered inside. "Alfred? Are you in here?"

The room was an elegant shade of beige with a red border running along the bottom of the walls. In the far corner was a stereo, playing the classical music which drew him there in the first place. A small, round table covered in an elaborate red table cloth was stationed in the very center, two chairs placed on either side. He searched the room for any occupants.

"Ah, Master Dick." Alfred appeared as if out of nowhere. "I'm glad to see that you are able to make it."

"To what?"

"Your lessons on proper etiquette, of course." The butler grinned.

Dick narrowed his eyes. "Did Wally, Gar and Vic put you up to this?"

"Of course not. Now, if you don't mind, please have a seat." He gestured to one of the available chairs.

"No way," Dick held up his hands. "It's not like-"

"Oh, _Dicky_!" Richard's eyes widened as his face twisted in disgust. "Here I come, sexy."

_You can't be serious, _he did a face palm. _Jason, that fucking bastard. I swear I'm gonna kill him one day._

"It's me," said Jason's hideously fake feminine voice. "Your _crush_."

His little brother sauntered in wearing a red wig that touched his shoulders, a purple v-neck and, quite disturbingly, a matching skirt. Where he got it and why he owned it, Dick will never know. Luckily, Jason wore under armor leggings underneath to hide any exposed skin. Behind him, a chortling Tim and a placid Damian followed.

"This one's goin' on my blog. Strike a pose!" Tim howled with laughter as Jason made kissy faces at Dick, who only grimaced and tried, in vain, to push his younger brother away. "Get 'em, Damian."

Damian aimed him camera at the unpleasant scene. One quick snapshot, and the youngest two were gone.

"What the fuck, Jason!" Dick was embarrassed that he even had any connections to the boy standing before him. "Get the hell out!"

"Oh, baby, don't be mad just cause you can't handle all of _this_." He gestured to himself, shaking his hips in the process as he grinned, pleased with his brother's reaction.

The entire time, Alfred fought not to laugh. When he had finally calmed himself down, he decided to interpose.

"Master Jason, I believe that your favorite television show, _Ultimate Spider-Man_, is currently airing a new episode."

He gasped and literally ripped the skirt from his waist, chucked the wig at the farthest wall, and sprang for the door. Dick glared in his direction.

"There's seriously something wrong with him," said Dick.

Alfred chuckled. "Master Jason possesses no shame."

"I'm pretty sure that's an understatement. Possibly one of your worst ones _yet_." Shaking his head, Dick proceeded to sit on the nearest chair. "So what now?"

"I believed you had no intention of participating," the butler smiled, and Richard only shrugged.

"It wouldn't hurt to try it out, I guess."

TTTTT

Meanwhile, hidden in the bushes of Kory's backyard, Dick's three troublesome friends were set on hardcore-spy-mode.

"Dudes, I have a bad feelin' about this..." Garfield shivered, terrified of what might be if they were spotted.

Wally shushed him. "Be quiet! We'll be-"

A deafening growl and threateningly bared canines interrupted him mid-sentence.

"Awh, it's a Siberian Husky!" exclaimed the no-longer-terrified Garfield. However, the same couldn't be said for Wally and Victor.

The gangly teen extended a hand to pet the dog, and in seconds, it went from ferocious beast to lovable puppy. And in that moment, an audible clicking sound caught the boys' attention.

"Identify yourselves at once, cretins." It was a short, red haired boy, who looked to be around thirteen years old or so, that held an airsoft gun aiming in their direction, ready to fire. He had an intense grimace engraved on his angry features. When he received no reply from the intruders, he continued to command his guard dog. "Subdue the trespassers, Silkie!"

"No! Please, little boy! Have mercy! We surrender!" Wally was prepared to dart all the way across the planet to Antarctica, but was grabbed by the collar. Victor frowned, holding his friend in place, afraid that if they made any sudden movement to provoke the animal they'd end up being dog food in a matter of seconds.

"Silence!"

"But we-" Garfield was interrupted by a familiar female voice.

"_Rye Aidan Anders!_ What on Earth are you doing to those poor boys?" Letting out a sigh of relief, Victor released Wally. But soon enough, he began to panic when he realized they'd been discovered by the very girl they were supposed to spy on.

"Abort mission! Haul ass, men!" Wally led his two friends in their great escape.

Kory raised an eyebrow as she watched them disappear from the neighborhood.

"Sister," Rye tugged at her shirt, his face void of emotions as he was prepared to tell her the bad news. "I believe you have the_ stalkers_."

"Odd," tilting her head slightly to the right, she furrowed her eyebrows. "Those were Dick's friends."

TTTTT

Alfred was slowly orbiting his pupil, making sure his posture was straight and not hunched. Once he finished scrutinizing him, he continued on with his crusade.

"May I ask what her name is?"

Richard shot him a strange look. "Whose name?"

"The lucky lady that has caught your eye, sir." He smiled knowingly as Dick's face paled.

"I-I don't like anyone! And if I did so happen to like someone, it would be impossible because she's dating Xavier..."

"Ah, so there _is_ someone."

Going from blanched to blushing, Dick's voice squeaked. "You can't tell Bruce."

"Of course not." Dick breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thanks."

Just as Alfred was about to begin his lessons, there was a knock on the door. With one glance in the direction of the entrance, the butler smiled.

"I have invited Miss Gordon to help with your predicament."

"You did _what_? But I don't need her help." And just like that, the situation went from bad to worse. He didn't like her the way he liked Kory at the moment, but he used to and that was sort of unsettling to him.

A red haired girl opened the door, took a peek inside, and walked right in the moment she saw Dick. She was, however, not the same redhead Richard had wanted to see.

"Hey, Dick!"

Disappointment enveloped his entire being. Nope, this definitely wasn't the girl he'd been hoping for.

"Hi, Babs."

"So..." she sat across from him, resting her chin onto her propped arms. "Is this a date?" She winked, but Dick looked away.

"I wouldn't call it that."

Alfred cleared his throat. "It is _practice_ for Master Dick."

Narrowing her eyes, Babs frowned. She'd always thought that Dick liked her, but now that there was someone else, she was finally jealous. "For who, exactly?"

"I believe that is none of our concern." Noticing that Richard would rather have Babs in the dark about the identity of his crush, Alfred saved him from exposure. "Shall we begin?"

Babs considered for a second.

_Whatever. A date is a date, _she reasoned. "Okay. So what now?"

TTTTT

The doorbell rang, and Kory was immediately on her feet to answer it. Her friend from art studios, Rachel Roth, was at the door. Kory smiled as she stepped aside to allow the girl entrance into her abode.

"Are you prepared to work on our new project, Rachel?"

"Yeah," she gestured to her bag filled with art supplies. "Are you?" Kory nodded as she led the way to the garage.

Parked in the far corner was a black Mercedes-Benz, and beside it was a crimson Chevy Camaro.

"Those yours?" Rachel pointed to the shiny new vehicles.

"The red one will be mine, as soon as I am able to drive, and the Benz belongs to my sister." Kory sat down in front of her wooden easel, ready to begin.

In that moment, Kory's cell phone beeped, indicating a new text message. She looked to see who it was, then gave her friend a lopsided grin.

"Was it Xavier?" Kory nodded. "Honestly, I don't get why you're even with him."

After replying to her boyfriend's message, she heaved in a deep breath to give her friend an explanation.

"I acknowledge the fact that he has done a lot for me. Do you not remember when he bought me the ten boxes of chocolates because I told him that I thought chocolates were most delectable? The time he brought a ukulele to school and attempted to serenade me? It was... I guess you could say it was sweet. And Franklin no longer attempts to pinch my butt. I believe you were not present when he brought a giant teddy bear and a bouquet of my favorite flowers and asked me to be his girlfriend in front of the entire school during the assembly. I was _not_ going to embarrass him in front of the whole student body. It would linger in my conscience, and I am not certain I would be able to bear it."

Rachel offered her a half-hearted smile. "You're too nice. But sometimes that isn't a good thing. You need to know when to say no."

"I do not like hurting others. And he seems so sincere..."

"He seems like a real jackass. What if he cheats on you? He's probably the type."

"I suppose you could say that _there is more to him than meets the eye._ If he is unfaithful, then I will leave him. And besides," the green-eyed girl sighed. "Kom says that in time, I will eventually learn to like him."

Frowning, Rachel occupied the stool beside her red haired friend. She knew that that tactic didn't always work. But then again, who knows? "That's a load of bull."

"Please," Kory began, sheepish. "How does a shipment of livestock hold any relevance to my decision of staying with Xavier?"

Deciding it best to drop the subject, Rachel reached for her bag and emptied its contents. "Let's just paint."

TTTTT

The pretend date took a lot longer than Dick had anticipated. What with all the basics he had to learn, go through, and repeat. To Dick, it was agonizing torture. _Not like I'm gonna remember after this, so there's really no point,_ he thought to himself. It was times like these that he wished he could just crawl into his big, comfy bed and sleep his worries away.

Alfred made Babs leave the room, and Dick had to open the door for her. He had to help her remove her coat, too.

_She has two hands, dammit. She's perfectly capable of doing it herself, so why the fuck do _I_ have to?_

Being forced to stand at attention as she deliberately took her sweet time to sit on the damn chair was a pain in the ass.

_She's fucking doing that on purpose! Son of a bitch._

"Now, Master Dick, for the general amenities," Alfred began as he circled the two. "Always remember to be polite to the young lady."

Babs grinned at Dick, and he inwardly groaned.

"Refrain from cursing, speaking loudly, and losing your temper." Babs snickered, and Dick was tempted to break the rules. "Do not stare, interrupt, or spit. And always remember to respect those around you."

_This is so fucking... ugh! _

"Got it."

When it was all over and Babs had gone home, Alfred smiled proudly as he handed Richard an old, black pocketbook.

"What's this?" He eyed it guardedly.

"_Etiquette for a Gentleman._ I would like for you to have it as a reference, in case you forget anything."

Dick nodded and thanked him for all his efforts.

* * *

**A/N:** _I'm so sorry I wasn't more clear on why Kory and Xavier were together. I decided to put her in a predicament that happened to my friend back in '10 because I thought it was pretty funny when she was put on the spot like that. She was a little too nice to say no, but in the end, my friend eventually did learn to like her boyfriend. And that's sort of what Kory thinks will happen to her. I'm not sure if it makes much sense, and if it's still somewhat confusing, then I'm very very very sorry. Because I'm terrible when it comes to explanations, heh heh. _*nervous laugh*

_And yeah, I quoted_ Transformers.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**_ I'm sorry for not updating until now. ):  
_

* * *

Dick was going through his daily routine. Go to school, survive first, second and third hour, and now lunch. As he walked through the cafeteria doors, he noticed Xavier sitting by himself, fiddling with a mechanical pencil. There was something off about him. Richard couldn't pinpoint exactly as to what it was, but he knew something was different about his friend.

For some reason, he felt nervous about approaching his bestfriend, but ignored the feeling and did it anyway.

"What's up, X?" He sat on the bench right across from him.

"Nothing. I was just... thinking." Xavier didn't seem like his usual self at all, which scared the crap out of Dick. Had he discovered that his own bestfriend had feelings for his girlfriend? The outcome of that situation would definitely not be a good one.

"What's wrong?" He scrunched his brows together.

"I've decided to stop smoking, man."

"It's just that- wait, what?" That was not what Dick had been expecting. He knew that Xavier had family problems, which is why he turned to smoking for relief, but he did it so often that it seemed quitting was out of the question.

Xavier grinned, proud of his accomplishment. "That's right. I've finally found my reason not to anymore."

Richard paused for a moment. "Is it _her_?"

"Yeah." Smiling at his bestfriend sheepishly, Xavier lowered his eyes. "I went to homecoming with Donna. She likes you, y'know."

Dick scoffed. "I like her, but not _like_ like her. Know what I mean? Her sister had a thing with Bruce before he started dating Selina, so I'd rather not go there."

"When are you ever gonna lighten up and just go out with a girl for once?" Xavier smirked at his bestfriend. "There are plenty of chicks just beggin' to get into your pants."

"No thanks," frowning and just about ready to head off to class, Dick stood up from his spot on the bench. "Gotta go. I'll see you around, X."

"Later."

TTTTT

Not much has happened throughout the course of Kory's day. Just like Dick, she went about in her regular routine. The only thing that was different was Xavier's change in behavior. Was it just her, or did he seem more... kind?

"I'm sorry, Cutie. You know I really wanted to take you. Believe me, Donna doesn't mean anything to me."

She wasn't sure what to say. "Um- it is okay."

Her boyfriend nodded, gave her a quick kiss, and walked off in the direction of his next class. She breathed in a sigh of relief.

Caught up in a reverie, Kory hadn't noticed until it was too late when someone had unwittingly walked right into her.

Gasping in shock, she immediately fell to her knees to pick up their items that had fallen to the ground. "Please forgive me. I was not paying attention."

"It's fine." Inwardly, she smiled as she recognized the voice. "Neither was I..."

Kory smiled at him. "Hello, Richard."

His eyes widened as his face flushed, and his heart began to race every which-way in his chest cavity. "Erm- I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to-" Richard freaked out. "I'm not a stalker! I was just going to class, when all of a sudden you popped up out of nowhere and then-"

Her melodic giggles stopped him from speaking any further. It was obvious he was only making a complete fool out of himself, and decided it was best to stop babbling altogether.

"It is okay."

"N-no it's not! I'm really sorry if I hurt you. Here," he bent down to pick up her books. "I'll carry your stuff for you. Where's your next class?"

Kory could only smile at his adorableness. Why couldn't Xavier be more like him? Richard was sweet, very charming, and she couldn't deny that he was the most handsome boy she'd ever seen. His deep, blue eyes were a perfect contrast to his unruly jet black hair, and she found it to be _very_ attractive.

She frowned at the thought, knowing that it was wrong to be thinking about him in that way. After all, she did have a boyfriend, who just so happened to be Richard's bestfriend.

"It is in the science wing." She pointed in the proper direction. "You do not have to if it will only serve to make you late to your next hour."

"Nah, it's fine. I'll just throw them my 'cute-face' and they'll let it slide. Bruce will never find out about it."

She giggled. "If you say so."

They walked in silence, and deep down, the awkwardness was slowly killing the both of them. Richard refused to acknowledge the growing feelings he was beginning to have for Kory, and she still hadn't realized she felt for him as well.

"So," he began as he glanced at her. "Do you, um... do you like breadsticks?" Richard inwardly groaned. What kind of lame question was that? He hated how he knew nothing about talking to a girl whom he had feelings for.

Kory smiled at him, causing his already blushing face to burn a deeper shade of crimson. "Certainly. It is very appetizing!"

After that, their conversation just naturally flowed. The awkwardness between them dissipated, and both were very happy about that. They felt a little bit more open to one another, and that was enough to plaster content smiles on each of their faces.

Soon arriving at her destination, Richard turned to her and grinned. "Whelp, looks like my work here is done." He handed her the books he had been carrying for her. "Have fun in class."

He watched as she walked into the room and dropped her books off at her desk. Seeing that she no longer needed his help, he turned around and began to head to his own classroom.

Suddenly, he felt something wrap around his torso. He looked down to see that it was Kory's tanned arms hugging him from behind. Angling his head so he could see her, his heart began to race once again when he noticed the cute expression on her features. Her eyes were closed, a blush embellishing her face, and her lips forming a serene smile.

"Thank you," she mused into his back, then let go and disappeared into her class once again.

And in that moment, the bell rang.

Dick scrambled to collect himself and sprinted towards class.

TTTTT

Finally, after another long day at school, Dick arrived at the mansion. He lazily walked to his room, dropped his backpack on the carpeted floor and collapsed onto his bed. But, unlike the other days, he landed on his pillow with a smile.

_Yes!_ He thought to himself. _I think this is the beginning of a very good, _he gulped, not quite liking the next part, _friendship._

His smile flipped upside down as realization hit him. The girl that he liked was dating his bestfriend, therefore a relationship with her was definitely out of the question. And that in itself was enough to bring him tumbling down.

_Who am I kidding? I don't stand a chance against Xavier. Someone like her would probably go for the bad-boy type anyway. _

He grunted into his pillow, wishing that what he had just thought wasn't true. However, to his dislike, he couldn't be sure.

A knock on his door brought Richard back to reality. Grudgingly forcing himself off of his bed, he made his way to the door to unlock it. "Come in," he said as he stumbled back onto is bed.

"Master Richard," Dick looked up to see Alfred. Behind him, his three little brothers watched with amused smirks. Except Tim, who was grinning happily at him. "The young Masters wish for you to accompany them to the amusement park. Universal Studios Gotham, I believe that is what it was called." The butler moved to stand behind the three troublemakers.

"Yep," Tim chirped. "Get up, Dick! We all voted that you're gonna take us!"

Richard grimaced at his three brothers. "You all agreed that I would take you without even bothering to ask me first?"

"Psh," Jason scoffed. "We didn't need to ask you. We knew you'd do it whether you wanted to or not."

"You don't know anything," Dick placed his thumb and index finger on the bridge of is nose. "You can't force me to go."

"Yes, Grayson." Damian crossed his arms in defiance. "I'm pretty sure we can."

"And how exactly are you gonna do that?"

All three of them looked smug, and Richard had a bad feeling about what was to come next.

Behind them, taking the place of Alfred, the mighty Bruce Wayne hovered.

"You're going to take them, Dick."

Richard knew he was being childish, but he really didn't want to go. "Why can't _you_ do it?"

"Because," the billionaire smiled at his ward. "I promised Selina a date tomorrow, so _you_ have to take them." The sight of Bruce's nonchalant appearance made Dick want to get up and personally wipe that smirk off of his face.

"And what if I say no? Then you and Selina can both take them."

At hearing this, Tim's up-beat mood shifted into despondency. "But _Dick_," he whined. "We want _you_ to take us! We promise we'll be good! Won't we, guys?" He looked to his two partners in crime and silently begged them to back him up.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yeah. We'll be good."

Damian shrugged. "I don't make promises I don't plan to keep."

Even after Tim and Jason agreed to behave, Dick was not moved. "I don't think I'm up for it."

"Which is why I came up with a solution for all of our problems," Bruce countered. "Either you take the boys, or you're grounded."

"No." It was still unknown to him why he continued this stupid argument. Maybe it was new-found strength from the day's earlier events. "Ground me all you want, I'll be fine home alone."

Impatient as he was, Jason finally snapped. He barged into Dick's room, pulled him by the collar of his shirt, and narrowed his eyes at his older brother. "Listen to me, you. Whether you like it or not, you're gonna get off your ass and take us to Universal Studios Gotham tomorrow. I told my friend I'd go, so if we don't, then it's _your_ ass. Got it?"

Richard was not at all taken aback by Jason's threats. He knew that his little brother, no matter how tough he appeared to be, was no match for him. However, he finally decided to just give in and take them to have fun.

"Fine, we'll go. Now get out of my room before I change my mind."

With one last smirk, believing that he'd won, Jason let go of his brother and regrouped with everyone else at the doorway.

TTTTT

"But Sister," Rye continued on with his pleading. "I must meet up with a friend of mine tomorrow!"

Kom shot her little brother a deathly glare. "I'm busy tomorrow. Go pester Kory about it."

Rye heaved in a sigh and left his eldest sister to be alone. He understood that she wasn't in the mood to talk, and came to the conclusion that it was better to ask Kory.

He knocked on her door.

"Come in!" A mellifluous voice called from the inside. Smiling at the kindness of his favorite sister's tone, Rye proceeded to enter.

"Sister, may I ask a favor of you?"

"Yes, of course! What is it?" She was sitting criss-cross on her bed, most likely working on her homework assignments.

"I must meet with a friend tomorrow at Universal Studios Gotham. Will you care to take me?" He was practically begging again, though he knew he didn't need to when it came to Kory.

"I would love to." She said with a sweet smile. "What time shall we go?"

Rye frowned at the question. "I... do not know. Allow me to make a call."

Walking back to his own room, Rye pulled out his cell phone and began to dial his bestfriend's number.

After a few rings, the person on the other line picked up. _"What's up, Rye?"_

"Greetings, Jason. I wish to inquire about the time we should be meeting."

_"How does 4 o'clock in the afternoon sound? Near the entrance by the fountain."_

Rye's eyes widened. "Are you certain?"

_"I guess so."_

"Okay."

_"Alright, well I gotta go. See ya' tomorrow!"_

Making his way back to Kory's room, he once again knocked on the door and called out to her. "Sister! We are to meet with them at 4 o'clock tomorrow near the entrance of the amusement park!"_  
_

"Very well!" She chirped from behind the closed door.


End file.
